


i^eSMiOIld, m 




Class L-Cl^S fe- 

Book , U J-'S " 



Coiiyiight]^°___. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



A Reading Circle 
Manual. 



How to Form and Conduct 
Reading Circles. Lines of 
Work and Suggested Pro- 
grams. 



By Humplirey J. Desmond. 

Author of "Mooted Questions of History," "The 

Church and the Law", "Chats Within the 

Fold", etc. 



MILWAUKEE: 

THE CITIZEN COMPANY, 

1993. 






\ 



THE LIBRARY GF 
CONGRESS, 

Tv>.'0 Copies ReceiveO 

MAR 14 1903 

Copyiight tntiy 

CLASS O^ XXc. No. 

6^ % / ^ ^ 

COPY_B...__ 



COPYRIGHTED 1908 

BY 

HUMPHREY J. DESMOND. 



CONTENTS. 

OUR READING CIRCLES, .... 5 

WAYS AND MEANS, 8 

MESSAGES FROM THE LEADERS. A SYM- 
POSIUM .16 

CONSTITUTION AND B\~-LAWS. TWO 

FORMS, 21 

SOME ACTUAL PROGRAMS. .... 28 

LINES OF WORK, ...... 35 

A CURRENT TOPIC CLUB, .... 45 

A MONTHLY NOVEL CLUB, ... 48 

THE BEST NOVELS, 51 

TRAVEL STUDIES 56 

THE SUMMER SCHOOL, . . . .61 

MATTERS OF PUBLIC SPIRIT, ... 67 

A MINIMUM CATHOLIC LIBRARY, . 73 

THE READING HABIT, 77 



A Reading Circle Manual. 



OUR READING CIRCLES. 

17 ROM 1890 to 1897, there was a 
■■■ blossoming out, east and west, 
of Catholic reading circles. Thir- 
ty such organizations existed in 
Chicago in 1895, and ten in 
St. Paul Every convent in Io- 
wa and darkest Missouri had its cir- 
cle. Even Kansas felt the impulse. 
The summer schools came into exist- 
ence, and a monthly magazine, supple- 
mented by a dozen or more new text 
books, responded to the awakened in- 
terest. 

Then hundreds of young women and 

dozens of young men heard for the 

first time of a Newman, of a Catholic 

history of England, of the Catacombs, 

5 



A -RErAmNG? CIRCLE MANUAL. 

and a score of other topics, which had 
heretofore not interested them. It was, 
on the whole, a spur of great value to 
our community's intelligence. The pe- 
riodic lethargy, which ensues as a mat- 
ter of fashion after all such move- 
ments, came, and is now upon us, but 
there are periodic signs of a new in- 
terest in the reading circle. When the 
Chautauquan circles, among our sep- 
arated brethren, reached their lowest 
ebb, the Christian Endeavor move- 
ment sprang into life. The same im- 
pulse, under transformation, may in- 
terest our Catholic young people again. 
Good came of it; good will come out 
of it again. 

Of course, it is some question wheth- 
er the church can, with propriety, be 
made a social center after the fashion 
of the meeting house, even supposing 
the conditions were favorable. 

But it seems entirely accordant with 
the larger purposes of the church to 
let it become a center for an intellec- 
tual life of some kind. The reading 
circle movement is entirely worthy of 
the serious attention of all Catholics 
engaged in church work. In a meas- 
ure, this movement is a continuation 
6 



OUR READIXG CIRCLES. 

of Christian education — ^perhaps along 
the lines of university extension, and 
perhaps in a more modest way. 

There is a constant demand for a 
series of brief and pertinent sugges- 
tions among those who, in different lo- 
calities, and at recurring intervals, 
feel the need of reading circles and 
literary associations. It was to meet 
this demand that the following para- 
graphs are written — more, however, 
with a view to direct and stimulate 
than to cover the subject with the full- 
ness of a treatise. 



WAYS AND MEANS. 

IWr EMBEESHIP : Who shall be in- 
^^■*' vited to form our reading 
circles? We first think of the 
Catholic professional men in our 
community, our lawyers, doctors 
and journalists. We next think 
of the young women in the teaching 
profession. These classes are the pil- 
lars of the Catholic intellectual move- 
ment. But there are also (if we seek 
them out), many Catholic men in 
mercantile and industrial avocations, 
who are more or less desultory read- 
ers, and who can give an account of 
their reading. There are Catholic 
women, with a convent or high school 
training, who would gladly continue 
that culture of mind for which they 
have acquired a bent. There are 
young men and women with a latent 
desire for a wider knowledge of ques- 
tions of the day and the lore of books, 
than they presently possess. Then 
there is the patriotism of creed, which 
always responds to an invitation to 
8 



WAYS AND MEANS. 

learn more about Catholic books, Cath- 
olic writers. Catholic history and Cath- 
olic views, under Catholic intellec- 
tual auspices. 

Congeniality in the Membership : 
In large cities it is possible to bring- 
together a circle of Catholic college 
men who are able to take up, say, the 
reading of Dante with some likeli- 
hood of the requisite fundamental un- 
derstanding of the historical, theolo- 
gical and rhetorical aspects that give 
a chief value to such a study. It is 
possible to specialize the work, when a 
fair average of advanced education ex- 
ists among the membership. But as 
a rule, and this is especially true in 
smaller communities, there are wide 
differences of education among the 
m-cmbers of the Catholic reading cir- 
cle. 

This condition, however, does not 
prevent the taking up of a line of stu- 
dy, or a program of entertainment 
more or less advantageous to all the 
members. A common school pupil, a 
high school student, a college alumni 
and a professional man, all cut the 
pages of a high class magazine like 
9 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

The Century with equal interest. It 
has entertainment and instruction for 
all of them. The work of the read- 
ing circle may be scaled and adjusted 
to meet a like diversity of interest ; and 
to profit all. 

Social Life: Assuming that there 
is a great and absorbing degree of 
earnestness for intellectual advance- 
ment among the members, it is proba- 
bly true that the best and most sub- 
stantial work can be done, if young 
men go apart by themselves, and 
young women emancipate their circle 
for the time being from the necessity 
of male escorts. 

Katherine Conway, who has render- 
ed great service to the Catholic read- 
ing circle movement, is strongly op- 
posed to co-education herein. She fur- 
nishes us this very interesting view: 

"Sufficient reason seems to me 
to exist in the fact that in the older 
sections — in the west it may be dif- 
ferent — young men would never come 
to the reading circles with the young 
women in anything like equal num- 
bers. There would be just enough to 
constitute an element of distraction — 
10 



WAYS AND MEANS. 

to embarrass the timid and diffident 
among the women — while in turn the 
overwhehning majority of women 
would be an embarrassment to some of 
the men. 

"Then human nature would assert 
itself. The cleverer and prettier wo- 
men would have escorts, and the rest 
would be neglected on the homeward 
way, and personal rivalries, disap- 
pointments, and the like, would inter- 
fere very seriously with attention to 
essays and discussion." 

However, Miss Conway, in a mis- 
sionary spirit, makes this concession: 

"While restricting active member- 
ship and study meetings to women, 
the lecture courses, parlor talks and 
social entertainments should be open 
to men also, in order that the circle 
may exercise directly its beneficial in- 
fluence on the community in general." 
Still, the social life is a desideratum 
in itself. iJ^o doubt it stimulates the 
intellectual life, too. Society, under 
the ^gis of literary study, is apt to 
be both beneficial arid pure in its in- 
fluences. We ought to cultivate a so- 
cial life. We ought to cultivate an in- 
tellectual life. The former will round 
11 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

off the angles of the latter. 

Why not cover both of these excel- 
lent purposes in the one movement? 
The social side may attract to the 
reading circle some young people who 
will vote the literary side a bore; but 
if they only listen, they will get val- 
ue out of their attendance ; and usually 
they are willing to subordinate them- 
selves to the spirit and purpose of the 
society. 

Large or Small? Do we wish our 
reading circles (which term we may 
use to include literary organizations 
generally), to be large or small? That 
will depend, (a) on the work you take 
up; (b) the size of the community you 
live in; (c) the place you meet, and 
{d) your intensity for the purely in- 
tellectual purpose. 

The smaller circle is, perhaps, better 
for the more profitable kind of intel- 
lectual work. You can select your 
membership with more care and with 
a direct view to their special capabil- 
ity for the study contemplated. If the 
circle meet at the homes of the mem- 
bers, an organization limited in mem- 
bership to twenty or thirty, is un- 
12 



AVAYS AND MEANS. 

doubtedly more convenient. A large 
circle is most easily possible in a city 
where there are a number of Catho- 
lic congregations to draw from, and 
when it is contemplated to rent a hall 
for the meetings. If the nature of the 
program to be followed be popular 
rather than studious, if it be made 
up of essays and lectures, discus- 
sions of questions of the day, or 
if it outline a study of Chris- 
tian doctrine. Biblical history, 
Catholic authors, etc., etc., which top- 
ics usually admit of popular treat- 
ment, there is no reason why the cir- 
cle should be restricted in member- 
ship; the larger it is, perhaps the bet- 
ter work it will do, and the more ben- 
efit it will confer on its immediate 
community. 

How to Go About it: John Boyle 
O'Reilly once said that ten young men 
acting with a common and intelligent 
purpose and in earnest about it, can 
rock an empire. Two or three persons, 
desiring the organization of a reading 
circle, can usually bring it about. 
They may go among their friends, and 
find a dozen others similarly inclined. 
13 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

Then call a meeting, either by per- 
sonal notice, by mail, by announce- 
ment from the pulpit, if the circle is 
attached to a parish, and the pastor 
so advises, or by notice in the press. 
The advice of the priest is always 
most desirable, both at the inception 
and in determining the general pro- 
gram of the reading circle. His many 
duties may not always permit him to 
attend the meetings of the reading cir- 
cle, but his cordial sympathy may be 
taken for granted. There is no safer 
guide when it comes to selecting text 
books and sources of information on 
current questions of a Catholic na- 
ture, than the priest. 

There should be enough capability 
for initiative in every Catholic com- 
munity to enable the meeting, when 
called, to organize itself out of its own 
membership. Usually, those concern- 
ed in calling the meeting together will 
have in view some proper persons to 
act as chairman and secretary. The 
desirability of a reading circle and the 
general purpose of the proposed circle, 
should be outlined by at least two of 
those present, who, we will suppose, have 
prepared themselves in advance. Then 
14 



WAYS AND MEAXS. 

a general discussion may ensue. Be- 
fore adjournment, committees should 
be appointed as follows: 

A committee to draft and report for 
adoption at the next meeting a consti- 
tution and by-laws. 

A committee, with the chairman and 
secretary ex-officio members, to issue 
the call for the next meeting, with 
authority to determine the time and 
place. 

A committee on program to outline 
the general course of study, or enter- 
tainment to be taken up, subject to 
approval or amendment by the meet- 
ing at large. 



15 



MESSAGES FKOM THE LEAD- 
EES. 

A SYMPOSIUM. 

' I "HE following paragraphs, selected 
-*■ from letters and essays and ad- 
dresses of men and women active in our 
Reading Circle movement, are here sub- 
joined as furnishing some excellent 
hints and suggestions. These ideas are 
not connected or confluent, but they 
are so many detached counsels on a va- 
riety of matters that come up in the 
experiences of the Reading circle vota- 
ry. 

Rev. Morgan M. Sheedy : "When 
the representatives of the Catholic 
Reading circles met in New London at 
the first session of the Summer School, 
the aim and purpose, the inspiration 
and spirit of the whole movement 
found apt expression in the ringing 
words of the preacher of that memor- 
able day. His text was, and it was the 
burden of his discourse, 'Let there be 
16 



MESSAGES FROM THE LEADERS. 

Light.' These four words summed up 
the end that should be ever kept in 
view by the members of the Catholic 
Reading circles; as the motto of the 
Catholic Summer School of America 
— "Deus lUuminatio Mea" — God is my 
Light — tells its members where true 
strength and guidance are to be 
found." 

Rev. John F. Mullaney : "During 
the past twenty years that I have been 
an organizer of Reading circle work 
— ^my plan has been a very simple one. 
First, I call together a few congenial 
people, male and female, all animated 
with a desire for self-improvement. I 
have always tried to secure a number 
for each circle with some special fit- 
ness for intellectual work. Others 
might be admitted with little or no 
groundwork, but with goodwill and an 
earnest desire for self-improvement — 
this is an essential condition. The 
next step is to select one, two or three 
studies for the circle. I find this plan 
to be productive of good results. For 
instance, take English history with 
English literature and a desultory 
course of English reading. The ob- 
17 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

ject of this reading course is to illum- 
inate the various periods or epochs of 
English history. I find this method 
very stimulating." 

Katherine Conway: "We do not aim 
to make our courses exhaustive, else we 
had necessarily been still on our first. 
Wo aim simply to make them sugges- 
tive and stimulating. We aim to cre- 
ate a wholesome appetite for good read- 
ing, both in distinctively Catholic and 
secular lines, and to show where the 
appetite can be gratified. * * One 
foundation principle with us is that 
intellectual ability can show itself in 
many ways just as beautiful and ac- 
ceptable as the literary way. The cir- 
cle creates a field for our musical and 
elocutionary gifts, for our business ca- 
pacity, executive ability and social 
graces. 

"Another of our foundation princi- 
ples is that — if one must choose — a 
sweet and noble character is a better 
thing than a brilliant intellect, and 
that kindness goes ahead of cleverness 
every day. 

"A third point in the arrangement of 
study courses is not to aim too high 
18 



MESSAGES FROM THE LEADERS. 

by selecting topics which will not hold 
the interest of the great majority of 
the circle." 

Warren E. MosJier: "To all those 
engaged in the work, or about to en- 
gage in it, I would offer a few words 
of advice. 1. Beware of desultory 
habits of reading. Read with a pur- 
pose. 2. Catholic circles should con- 
sider well the advantages of a union of 
circles and conformity to prescribed 
rules of books and reading. The Chau- 
tauqua plan demonstrates the power of 
united action on these lines. 3. Eve- 
ry one engaged in this work should not 
only be readers of books, but buyers 
of books. We cannot expect literature 
of the highest merit unless we are 
willing to generously support Catholic 
writers and Catholic publishers." 

Rev. J. L. O'Neil, O.P.: "Do not 
commit the error of treating books as 
fashions, good for the season and then 
to be thrown away. * * Seek the 
few books that are immortal. ^ * 
Seek the books of genius, of the men 
who think and who make you think." 

Maurice Francis Egan: "In order 
19 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

to study English literature it is not 
necessary to read many books; but it 
is necessary to read a few books care- 
fully. The earnest student of litera- 
ture makes no pretensions. He reads 
a few books well, and by that obtains 
the key to the understanding of all 
others." 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 

TWO FORMS. 

O KEYITY in a constitution and by- 
^-^ laws is desirable. After a circle is 
in running order, there is usually but 
little reference to a constitution. The 
program is the real thing. Merely by 
way of suggestion, the following con- 
stitutions and by-laws are here sub- 
joined. 

COXSTITUTIOJv^ 

Art. I. This circle shall be known 
as the Newman Eeading circle. All 
persons present as charter members, at 
the first three meetings, and signing 
the constitution and by-laws, and sub- 
sequently all other persons elected by 
the executive committee, and duly 
qualifying, shall be members thereof. 

Art. H. The officers of this circle 
shall be a president, a vice-president, 
a secretary and a treasurer, who shall 
hold their offices from the time of 
their election to the first regular meet- 
ing of the circle in May of each 
year, or until their successors are elect- 
21 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

ed and qualified. Their duties shall 
be those usually appertaining to their 
respective offices. 

Art. III. A program committee, 
consisting of three members, shall be 
appointed by the president at the first 
regular meeting subsequent to his elec- 
tion, which committee shall, subject to 
instruction by the circle, outline and 
arrange the program for each meet- 
ing. 

The program committee, together 
with the officers, shall constitute the 
executive committee, which committee 
may, by a two-thirds vote, admit new 
members to the circle. Said executive 
committee shall have charge of the 
general business of the organization, 
subject to the approval and direction 
of the circle. 

Art. IV. The annual election of of- 
ficers shall take place at the first regu- 
lar meeting in May of each and 
every year. All elections shall be by 
ballot. 

Art. V. These articles may be 
amended at any regular meeting by a 
two-thirds vote, provided written no- 
tice of such amendment be given at a 
previous meeting. 

22 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 
BY-LAWS. 

The by-laws may regulate, (1) the 
time and place of meeting; (2) the 
dues and initiation fee, if any; (3) 
the date of the first election of officers; 
(4) what number shall constitute a 
quorum; (5) what rules of order shall 
govern (Robert's, Cushing's or 
Reed's) ; (6) the order of business at 
each meeting, which may provide for a 
brief intermission; (7) the method of 
altering the by-laws. 

The order of business is an impor- 
tant one as determining the success of 
the circle. Two recommendations are 
here made: First: Place the matter 
of unfinished and new business after 
the literary program, so that, if any- 
thing must be cut, it will not be that 
feature for which the organization 
primarily exists. Second: A recess 
at the middle of the program 
will do much for the social life of the 
circle, and prevent that weariness 
which two hours of steady intellectual 
work is apt to engender. The follow- 
ing "order of business" is suggested: 

1. Call to order (in some circles 
this may be followed by prayer; and 
again, in smaller circles, by roll call 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

with quotations). 

2. Reading and approval of min- 
utes. 

3. First part of the literary pro- 
gram. 

4. Intermission. 

5. Second part of the literary pro- 
gram. 

6. Reports of committees. 

7. Unfinished business. 

8. New business. 

9. Adjournment. 

The following outline of a consti- 
tution is furnished by Mr. Warren E. 
Mosher of Mosher's Magazine (former- 
ly the Catholic Reading Circle Re- 
view) : 

NAME AND OBJECTS. 

1. This circle shall be called .... 



2. Its object shall be the intellec- 
tual and social benefit of its members., 

OFFICERS. 

1. The officers shall be a spiritual 
director, president, vice-president, sec- 
retary and treasurer, elected by ballot 
at each annual meeting. 

2. The general management shall 
be in care of an executive board, which 

24 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 

shall consist of the spiritual director, 
the four other officers and two mem- 
bers of the circle. 

3. These two members shall be ap- 
pointed by the president immediately 
after the election. 

4. The executive board shall pro- 
vide places for meetings; prepare the 
program; assign parts to members, 
giving at least two weeks' notice; re- 
ceive, and in the case of vacancies, pro- 
pose the names of all candidates for 
membership; call needed special meet- 
ings; and act for the circle, in the in- 
terval between meetings, subject to the 
approval of the circle at the next reg- 
ular meeting. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

1. The number of members shall 
not exceed 

2. In case of vacancy, any candi- 
date reported by the executive board 
may be elected by the majority of those 
present. 

3. Each member shall annually pay 

a fee of and sign this pledge : 

I, the undersigned, agree to study and 
abide by the constitution and rules of 

the circle ; and in order to 

maintain its good standing and gener- 

25 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

al welfare, I hereby pledge myself to 
perform all duties assigned me by the 
executive board, or to provide a sub- 
stitute, unless excused by the commit- 
tee. 

MEETINGS. 

1. The annual meeting for organ- 
ization shall be held on the second Sat- 
urday of September, and the regular 
literary meetings on the first Monday 
of October, and every Monday there- 
after till June 15. 

2. The meetings shall be at 7:30 
p. m., and should be called to order 
for business precisely at 7:45 p. m. 

3. A majority of the active mem- 
bers shall constitute a quorum for 
transacting business; but the members 
present at any meeting duly called 
shall be a quorum for carrying out 
its program of exercises. 

4. The business shall be done in ac- 
cordance with the parliamentary rules 
in Cushing's Manual. 

AMENDMENTS. 

1. This constitution may be amend- 
ed or suspended only by the vote of 
two-thirds of the entire membership or 
the unanimous vote of those present at 
a legal meeting. 

26 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS. 
ORDER OF EXERCISES. 

1. Prayer. 

2. Eoll-call answered with quota- 
tions. 

3. Reading of minutes. 

4. IsTew and miscellaneous business. 

5. Literary exercises. 

6. Adjournment. 



27 



SOME ACTUAL PROGRAMS. 

"P ROM a mass of reports of 
^ Reading circles published in 
The Reading- Circle Review, during 
the early years of its publica- 
cation, and when the Catholic 
Reading Circle movement was most 
flourishing, we subjoin some lines of 
work actually carried out in different 
parts of the country: 

Wo7''k of a Pittsburg Circle: Its ob- 
ject is like that of similar circles, to 
further education and promote social 
intercourse. American history is the 
major subject of study. Special pa- 
pers on a topic in the history of our 
country are read at each meeting and 
are followed by open discussion. 

An acquaintance with good litera- 
ture is encouraged by the reading of 
a short story, sketch or poem, together 
with a brief, but interesting account 
of the author of the selection. There 
is no attempt at an exhaustive study 
of literature. The aim is rather to 
28 



SOME ACTUAL PROGRAMS. 

give entertainment from the best 
sources. 

A general discussion of some event 
of current interest is an important 
part of each meeting's work. Among 
the subjects which have been treated 
may be mentioned the Cretan Affair, 
the Arbitration treaty, the Nicaragua 
canal, the Dingley bill. Discussion is 
not limited, but is general in fact as 
well as in name. 

A short poem or some music follows 
and the meeting closes with an in- 
struction in Church history by Father 
Canevin. 

They Studied the Reformation: We 
adopted as the special work of the year 
the study of the Reformation, viewing 
it principally in its religious and his- 
toric character. It has afforded much 
scope for essays and discussions, and 
is a subject that will be of vital im- 
portance to everyone who would know 
the real foundation of Protestantism, 
and to a great extent the infidelity and 
materialism so common in this age. 

As we reviewed the Reformation in 
its rise, progress and results, we con- 
trasted the lives of its reformers with 
29 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

such men as St. Ignatius, St. Fran- 
cis Xavier, and St. Charles Borromeo. 
To show the thoroughness with 
which each character was treated, it 
will suffice to say that in one evening 
three essays were given to an analysis 
of Luther's character. One dealt with 
him as a Catholic, another portrayed 
him in his role as a reformer, and a 
third was given to a description of his 
interior life. But our work in the lit- 
erary line is not limited to the study 
of the Keformation; selections are 
read from the poets, and essays are fre- 
quently contributed dealing with some 
feature of a poet's life and writings. 

Work of a Neiv York Beading Cir- 
cle: The first half of the year was de- 
voted to Roman history and Virgil's 
^neid for home study, and the last 
half to the history of the Middle Ages 
and Dante's Inferno. 

At the weekly meetings the members 
(one-fourth of whom were on the pro- 
gram each week), gave discussions and 
reviews of the work of that week, to- 
gether with supplementary work hav- 
ing a bearing on the same subject. 

The supplementary reading was 
30 



SOME ACTUAL PROGRAMS. 

gleaned from the following sources: 
"The Idea of a University," Cardinal 
Newman eleven chapters; "Pilgrims 
and Shrines," Eliza Allen Starr, six 
chapters. 

A review of each of the following 
historical novels: "Fabiola," Cardinal 
Wiseman; "Callista," Cardinal New- 
man; "Dion and Sybils," Miles Gerald 
Keon; eight stories from the "Gesta 
Romanorum;" the story of St. Cecelia's 
martyrdom, from Chaucer's "Canter- 
bury's Tales." 

In February we began the Middle 
Ages and Dante's "Inferno," prefacing 
the latter by Brother Azarias' essay 
on the "Spiritual Sense of the Divina 
Conunedia." We have read and dis- 
cussed Gazeau's "Middle Ages" through 
the Crusades, and we have had twenty- 
one cantos of the "Inferno" read at 
the meetings. 

A Philadelphia Circle: We are 
still engaged on the "Faith of Our 
Fathers;" a chapter is read at every 
meeting and discussed; which discus- 
sion often leads us into the meshes of 
Church history, sometimes so entang- 
ling that we have to make our ques- 
31 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

tion-box the solver of our difficulties. 
This we find a very effectual means of 
brushing up our Church history. 

The gleanings are fruitful sources 
of information and argument; once a 
month they are taken from the maga- 
zines, and at other times from the 
Catholic papers. Thus we keep posted 
on the current Catholic events. We 
certainly feel ourselves growing in 
reasoning power, knowledge and the 
use of language. 

The following is the program of our 
last meeting: 

1. Roll call — Response — Quotations 
from Christ's discourse at the Last 
Supper. 

2. Secretary's report. 

3. Gleanings from March magazines 
— Discussion on the same. 

4. Question-box on the Schism of 
the West. 

5. Chapter VI. (Faith of Our Fath- 
ers) "Perpetuity of the Church," read 
and discussed. 

6. Question-box on the same (for 
next meeting). 

Fenelon Reading Circle— Brooklyn : 
Our members were divided into three 
32 



SOME ACTUAL PROGRAMS. 

groups which were designated respec- 
tively as the literary, historical and 
biographical group. At each meeting a 
short paper was read by a member rep- 
resenting each of these groups. Last 
winter our line of reading was planned 
with the intention of throwing some 
light on the so-called "Dark Ages." 
As this period covered the eleventh and 
tweKth centuries, we took up in con- 
nection with it the study of the rise 
of the cathedral. 

During the five months that covered 
our working period, we had fifteen pa- 
pers prepared on subjects of historical 
and artistic interest. The length of 
our program at times precludes the 
representation on it of more than three 
members. These papers will therefore 
i.ot only have to speak for their writers 
but also for the silent members. 

Worh of Philadelphia Circles: Ear- 
ly Church History and Sacred Scrip- 
tures seem to be the favorite fields for 
work. In English literature the range 
is from the early Saxon remains to 
Aubrey de Vere, "Paradise Lost" and 
the "Idylls of the King" occupying the 
most attention. No matter what are 
33 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

the extras — the Reformation with its 
history and its notable people, Napole- 
on and his times, biographies, the var- 
ied queries from the question-box, elo- 
cution, even physical culture and Del- 
sarte are not neglected, each circle has 
adopted one or two of the studies out- 
lined by the Summer School commit- 
tee. Four of the circles have taken 
up the study of Dante and are trying 
to learn all they can of the '^Divine 
Comedy" and of the history and peo- 
ple of this turbulent era. Many of 
the circles have a literary and musi- 
cal entertainment with each study- 
meeting. Our circle has made the 
study of music a feature and has lec- 
tures on great masters and their works. 



34 



LINES OF WOEK 

T T would be an evidence of superfi- 
-■- ciality to ar^e that our reading 
circles could do really thorough work 
in any department of study. All that 
they can do for their members is to 
stimulate and suggest, to cultivate a 
taste for reading, an interest in sub- 
jects of literature, history and sci- 
ence, a discipline of mind resulting 
from the nurture of such interest, a 
more facile ability to converse on in- 
tellectual topics, and particularly 
an acquaintance with Catholic lit- 
erature and a better knowledge of 
Catholic teachings and Catholic his- 
tory. 

In outlining the season's work, an 
effort should be made to select that 
which will most interest the greatest 
number, and for that purpose a full 
and free discussion at the outset is de- 
sirable. 

The features of the ordinary suc- 
cessful reading circle program are: 
(1) some musical numbers to open and 
close the meeting; (2) attention to the 
35 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

social side, which may be subserved 
by a recess of ten or fifteen minutes 
in the middle of the evening, or by an 
occasional reception to some visiting 
lecturer or Catholic man or woman of 
eminence; (3) some lighter literary 
features of a miscellaneous character; 
(4) the solid study work of the sea- 
son, which demands a connected se- 
ries of topics, or the use of some spe- 
cial book or books as a text. 

Among the miscellaneous literary 
features which may be interspersed 
on an evening's program we may list 
the following, from among which it 
will be easy to select two or three: 

(1) Roll call with quotations from 
some poet — saint — statesman. 

(2) A brief paper conveying infor- 
mation on some current topic. 

(3) A recitation or oration. 

(4) A book review, dealing with 
some current novel, with some well- 
known Catholic book or some master- 
piece of a great author. 

(5) Five minutes readings from the 
current magazines. 

(6) A connected series of papers — 
one for each evening, covering the dif- 
ferent phases of some special topic, as 

36 



LINES OF WORK. 

for instance, "Socialism." 

(7) The Question Box. Answers to 
questions placed in the circle's ques- 
tion box at the previous meeting. 
(This work to be in charge of a com- 
mittee.) 

The plan of selecting two or three 
text books for the season's study, has 
been followed with success by most of 
our reading circles. Substantially, this 
is the Chautauquan plan also. There 
are a number of text books which read- 
ing circles have used with considera- 
ble profit in the past. Among those 
recommended by The Beading Circle 
Review, or the association of circles 
affiliated with the Columbian Catho- 
lic Summer School, may be mention- 
ed: "Chapters on Bible Study," Rev. 
H. J. Heuser (75c); "Bible and Sci- 
ence," Rev. J. A. Zahm ($1.25); 
"Christian Art," Edith Healy (75c); 
"Books and Reading," Brother Azar- 
ias ($1.00) ; "Mooted Questions of His- 
tory," H. J. Desmond (75c); "Chris- 
tian Ethics," Father Conway, S. J. 
(50c) ; "History of the Church in 
America," Bishop O'Gorman. 

The following examples illustrate 
the way the work might be laid out 
37 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

in the use of the above text books: 

"'bible, science AND FAITH /' 

The eleven chapters of this book 
might be apportioned so as to fur- 
nish material for some twenty sessions 
of the reading circle. The method 
herewith suggested in the study of 
chapters I. and II. may be applied to 
the remaining chapters: 

First Evening: Chapter I. — "Moses 
and Science." 

The class leader designated for the 
first chapter leads in a conversational 
discussion of ancient cosmogonies, call- 
ing, as the meeting progresses, for 
brief papers, pre-arranged, to be pre- 
sented by members appointed by the 
class leader on the following topics: 

Brahma ; 

The Mahabharata; 

Sketch of Pythagoras, Plato and 
Ptolemy ; 

Reading of the first chapter of Gen- 
esis. 

Second Evening: Chapter I. — (con- 
tinued.) 

Conversational discussion led by the 
class leader with five minute papers 
on: 

38 



LINES OF WORK. 

The Hebrews and the Chaldeans; 

Sketch of Moses; 

Works on "The Conflict Between 
Science and Keligion;" 

Catholic Scientists. 

Third Evening: Chapter II. — Alle- 
gorism and Literalism. 

In the discussion of the chapter, 
brief papers or oral reports may be as- 
signed by the class leader to his as- 
sistants on such matters : 

(a) History of the city of Alexan- 
dria; 

(b) Sketch of Origen; 

(c) Explanation of such words as 
"ecletic," "allegorism," "Haxameron," 
"via media," etc. 

(d) Antioch, Edessa, Csesarea and 
early Christianity in Syria. 

""mooted questions of history.'^ 
First Evening: The Dark Ages. 
The exercise may include the read- 
ing of the chapter on this topic and 
a series of brief papers or oral reports 
on mediaeval events, such as: 

(a) The great migration; 

(b) Gothic architecture; 

(c) Charlemagne; 

(d) Alfred the Great; 

39 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

(e) Dante and the "Divine Come- 

dy;" 

(f ) Thomas a Kempis. 

The references furnished in the quo- 
tations appended to the chapter on the 
Dark Ages will direct to sources of 
information on these sub-topics. 

Second Evening: "Christianity as 
a Civilizer." 

Reading of the chapter which touch- 
es upon the following sub-topics, which 
are to be covered in brief papers or 
oral reports from members previously 
designated : 

(a) Ancient Slavery; 

(b) Chivalry; 

(c) The Truce of God; 

(d) Mediaeval Trade Guilds. 
Members may be requested to find 

for these topics as well as all other 
topics, apposite quotations from lead- 
ing historians in line with the quota- 
tions the text book contains. 

The study of a series of connected 
topics is best illustrated by reference 
to the syllabi of a course of universi- 
ty extension lectures, or the outlines 
of lectures printed in the prospectuses 
of our summer schools. The late Eli- 
za Allen Starr, for instance, in one 
40 



LINES OF WORK. 

of her art lectures, covered these sa- 
lient points in discussing the Sistine 
Chapel : 

"Story of the Sistine Chapel— The 
Scheme of Salvation instanced in the 
Decoration of the Walls — How Mich- 
ael Angelo Enters into this Scheme 
in His Genealogical Series of Groups. 

"Prophets and Sybils as Interpreters 
of the Old Testament Narrations — 
The Scripture Stories on the Ceiling — 
The Last or Universal Judgment as a 
Summing up of all History and of all 
Narrative in the Essential Facts of 
Man Created and Man Eedeemed." 

The Eeading Circle Union affiliated 
with the Catholic Summer School 
(Warren E. Mosher, secretary, 39 
East Forty-second street. New York), 
aims "to give those who desire to pur- 
sue their studies, after leaving school, 
an available opportunity to follow pre- 
scribed courses of the most approved 
reading; to enable others, who have 
made considerable progress in educa- 
tion, to review their past studies, and, 
particularly, to encourage individual 
home reading and study on systematic 
and Catholic lines." 

Its course, which is repeated every 
41 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

four years, is as follows: 
1892-93. 

American History. 

American Literature. 

History of the Church in America. 

American Institutions. 

Political Science. 

Chemistry. 

Social Questions. 

1893-94. 

Ancient and Roman History. 

History of Ancient Literature. 

Science and Religion. 

Evidences of Religion. 

Sociology. 

Archaeology. 

Historical Romances. 
1894-95. 

Church History — First Five Centu- 
ries. 

Early English Literature. 

Science — Physics, Astronomy. 

Sacred Scripture. 

Topics of the Day and Current Lit- 
erature. 

Literary Studies. 

1895-96. 

History of the Church in the Mid- 
dle Ages. 

Roman and Mediaeval Art. 



LINES OF WORK. 

Social and Economic Questions. 

Studies in Literature. 

Physical Geography. 

Geology. 

Mediaeval Civilization. 

For the year 1896-97, the course of 
1892-93 is repeated, and so on. 

In order to establish a central bu- 
reau for the guidance of the Catholic 
reading public, to foster the growth of 
reading circles, and to secure a perma- 
nent combination of forces for the dif- 
fusion of good literature, The Catholic 
World Magazine, June, 1889, announc- 
ed the formation of the Columbian 
Reading Union, which was located at 
the house of the Paulist Fathers, 415 
West Fifty-Ninth street, New York 
City. "An appeal was made for the 
voluntary co-operation of those having 
a knowledge of books, so that guide 
lists might be prepared at small cost 
for those seeking the information thus 
rendered available. Catholic writers 
were especially invited to take part in 
the new movement; assistance was also 
expected from librarians and others 
qualified to make selections from the 
best books published. Many individ- 
uals, as well as those identified with 
43 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

Catholic reading circles, gladly donat- 
ed small amounts of money, besides 
giving their time and energy to make 
known the ways and means of extend- 
ing the influence of Catholic litera- 
ture, and to secure a place of deserv- 
ed recognition for Catholic authors in 
public libraries. 

"The members of Catholic reading 
circles became active in disseminating 
the opinions put forth in these pages, 
so that now it is gratifying to observe 
a general tendency to encourage the 
circulation of books representing the 
culture and learning of Catholic wri- 
ters. Every reading circle formed 
among Catholics should endeavor to 
assist in this good work of cultivating 
a feeling of loyalty to their own rep- 
resentatives in the world of letters." 



44 



A CURKENT TOPIC CLUB. 

nPHOUGHTFUL readers of the 
-■- newspapers are constantly com- 
ing across topics and lines of 
inquiry, which they would fain 
pursue further. A good atlas, 
a good book of up-to date statistics, 
a dipping into the magazine articles on 
the subject, sometimes satisfies these 
quests for fuller information. For 
such intelligent readers a "Current 
Topic Club" would be useful. 

The method followed in one of these 
clubs is thus described: 

"The first paper of the evening was 
called for, a resume of the great events 
in the world since the club had last 
met. This was read by one of the 
younger members, and for ten min- 
utes he catalogued those happenings in 
the world of politics, society, science, 
art and religion which had especially 
attracted his attention. 

"Then followed, for twenty minutes, 
an animated discussion largely in the 
form of question and answer, in which 
45 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

the reader of the paper and the president 
of the club were put through a thor- 
ough examination. ^ Spain and her 
Colonies" was the main theme of the 
evening, which was treated in four pa- 
pers of six minutes each, followed in 
every case by a brief discussion. *Pres- 
ent-day Politics in Old Spain' brought 
out the form of government of this 
constitutional monarchy, its method of 
legislation, its cabinet ministry, etc. 
The intelligent questions that followed 
indicated an unexpected amount of in- 
formation on the part of the members. 
Here, again, the president had to take 
the brunt of the questioning, and by 
dint of a good map of the country and 
the aid of the 'Statesman's Year Book' 
(published annually by the Macmil- 
lans), managed to satisfy most de- 
mands. 

"Then came two papers on 'Spain in 
the Philippine Islands' and 'Spain in 
the West Indies.' All had followed 
with eagerness the shifting scenes in 
Cuba about which the papers had told 
so many truths and so many lies. A 
good map helped make definite the 
whole struggle. 

"The subject for the next meeting 
46 



A CURRENT TOPIC CLUB. 

and the readers were announced — 
^Alaska, Her Gold Mines, and the 
Seals/ The executive committee hand- 
ed slips of paper to those appointed to 
read, indicating the best books, and 
especially the recent magazine articles 
bearing upon the proposed topic, and 
the club adjourned to meet a month 
hence." 

A less studious and systematic meth- 
od might also be adopted. Let the 
subject, for instance, be "The Irish 
Home Rule Movement." Two mem- 
bers of the club may be directed to 
bring in and read a ten or fifteen min- 
ute article on the subject, either from 
reliable works or from the current ma- 
gazines. A chapter from Sullivan's 
"New Ireland," and a portion of Glad- 
stone's speech upon introducing the 
Home Eule bill in 1886, would serve 
the purpose. Then let "queries" be in 
order, intended to secure an easy in- 
terchange of information and afford- 
ing an incentive to members to read 
up on the topic, not only before the 
meeting, but afterwards. 



47 



A MONTHLY NOVEL CLUB. 

THE members agree to read a desig- 
nated novel during the month, and 
to meet at the close of the month for 
discussion. A postal card is sent each 
member indicating the novel to be 
read, the points to be specially noted in 
the story and the subjects for discus- 
sion drawn therefrom. The date of 
the meeting is set and arrangements 
are made for one or two papers sug- 
gested by the novel, and an informal 
discussion of its difficulties or prob- 
lems. 

Suppose the novel selected is Thack- 
eray's "Vanity Fair." The postal card 
so announces; and also contains sug- 
gestions as follows: 

Note these points: 

(1) Unflattering characters of all 
the women portrayed. 

(2) The London of 1812. 

(3) The social status — obsequious 
ness towards the aristocracy; the vul- 
gar love of riches. 

(4) The rhetorical art of Thackeray. 

48 



A MONTHLY NOVEL CLUB. 

His facility of touch, as, for instance, 
in the line telling of the death of 
George Osborne. 

A Prohlem: How explain Dobbin's 
constant admiration for Amelia ? 

Two papers: (1) The character of 
Becky. Is it unnatural? 

(2) Eawdon Crawley. 

Novel selected: "Pride and Preju- 
dice," by Jane Austen. 
Points noted: 

(1) Characters are drawn not by 
description, but by conversation and 
action. 

(2) How explain the earlier attitude 
of D'Arcy in the story? 

(3) Contrasts in the characters of 
the sisters. 

Discussion: On the character as- 
cribed to Mr. Collins. (Herein read 
Macaulay's sketch of the English cler- 
gy in the eighteenth century.) 

Novel selected: "Dion and the Sy- 
bils." 

Points to be noted: (1) Wherein the 
novel is heavy for the average reader 
— in the discussion by Dion before Au- 
gustus. 

49 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

(2) Is not Paulius rather than Dion 
the chief character, and is not the ti- 
tle of the story misleading in this par- 
ticular ? 

(3) As a historical novel, note its 
general accuracy. 

(4) Which is the more absorbing 
episode in the tale? 

Papers: (1) What do we know, his- 
torically, of the Sybils? 

(2) Contrast the story with Ben 
Hur by Lew Wallace. 

Novel selected: "Disappearance of 
John Longworthy," by Maurice Fran- 
cis Egan. 

Points to be noted: (1) The author's 
acquaintance with New York life and 
the circles he portrays. 

(2) Is it a purpose, a problem, or a 
satirical story? 

(3) The two improbabilities of the 
story : John's disappearance and Mary's 
devotion to her brother. 

Paper: Miles as a tyiDe of the ward 
politician. 



50 



THE BEST NOVELS. 

\\ T HAT are the best Catholic stor- 
^ ' ies, and what stories by non- 
Catholics may be recommended to the 
Catholic readers? 

Here, by way of suggestion, are 
twelve excellent Catholic novels: 1. 
"Fabiola," by Cardinal Wiseman. 2. 
"Callista," by Cardinal Newman. 3. 
"Dion and the Sybils," by Keon. 4. "The 
Collegians," by Griffin. 5. "A Sister's 
Story," Craven. 6. "Saracenesca," Craw- 
ford. 7. "Disappearance of John Long- 
worthy," by Egan. 8. "My New Cur- 
ate," by Father Sheehan. 9. "Old and 
New," by Mrs. Sadlier. 10. "Marcella 
Grace," by Eosa Mulholland. 11. 
"Philip's Eestitntion," by Christian 
Eeid. 12. "The Way of the World, 
and Other Ways," by Katherine Con- 
way. 

Non-Catholic Novels: Why of 
course the Catholic reader may go out- 
side the list of purely Catholic novel- 
ists; moreover, hundreds do so, and it 
51 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

is to be regretted that they wander to- 
wards muddy brooks instead of towards 
clear and limpid waters. They read 
Ouida, Mrs. Holmes, Bertha M. Clay 
the "Duchess" and stories of that sort. 
There is a whole world of better, high- 
er and more helpful fiction. F. Mar- 
ion Crawford, Mary A. Tincker and 
Justin McCarthy are Catholic writers 
in the service of the general non-Cath- 
olic public; their works are neutral re- 
ligiously, but for the sake of the story, 
unobjectionable. There is nothing the 
matter with Mrs. Oliphant's, Miss Mul- 
ock's Trollope's or Stevenson's fiction 
and almost any of the leading Ameri- 
can novelists, Hawthorne, James, How- 
ells, Harte, Cable or Stockton are safe. 
Yet when we come to consider the 
shortness of life and the large number 
of good Catholic stories available, we 
are inclined to think that the craving 
for fiction can be almost supplied with- 
in the fold. 

As a list of novels from the field of 
general literature, the following may 
be recommended: 

Walter Scott: "Ivanhoe." 

Jane Austen : "Pride and Prejudice." 

Goldsmith: "Vicar of Wakefield." 
52 



THE BEST NOVELS. 

Thackeray: "Vanity Fair^' or "Es- 
mond." 

Buchanan: "Father Anthony." 
George Elliot: "Middlemarch." 
ChurchiU: "Kichard Carvel" or "The 
Crisis." 

Thompson: "Alice of Old Vincen- 
nes." 
Halevy: "Abbe Constantine." 
James: "Washington Square." 
Howells : "Eise of Silas Lapham." 
Sienkiewicz: "Quo Yadis." (Cur- 
tin's translation.) 

Historical Novels : Upon the score of 
fairness to the Church, most historical 
novels in the English language are 
unfortunate. But even aside from this 
fact, such novels cannot be recommend- 
ed to the student of history; they ex- 
aggerate the romantic element, which, 
after all, plays but a small part in the 
movements of history. In this connec- 
tion the following passage from An- 
drew Lang is of interest: 

"How far an historical novelist is 
bound to cleave to historical truth is a 
question that has settled itself. He is 
not bound at all. This great blow for 
freedom was struck by Scott. The 
53 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

question whether or not it is wise to 
use these privileges is different. No- 
body knows or cares whether Amy Rob- 
sart was dead (as she was) before 
'Kenilworth' begins; nobody cares for 
the circumstance that Shakespeare 
could not have been about the court at 
the period covered by the tale. But I 
do not like Scott to move on or move 
back, whichever it is, the death of the 
Bishop of Liege in ^Quentin Durward.' 
Perhaps it is pedantic to spoil an ef- 
fect of M. Zola's in 'Lourdes,' by con- 
sulting the continental 'Bradshaw,' 
and demonstrating that there is no 
such train as that on which his ef- 
fect depends. Perhaps, however, this 
is fair against that friend of *docu- 
ments,' M. Zola. Perhaps 'Esmond' 
comes nearer to historical truth than 
any other famous historical novel. The 
death of the Duke of Hamilton comes 
in very fortunately for the conduct of 
the plot, and it is perhaps an advan- 
tage that it is historically right. The 
Chevalier might have done as Thack- 
eray makes him do, leaving Atterbury 
in the lurch, as he was really left by 
Ormonde and the Earl Marischal. 'Es- 
mond' may be full of historical hevues, 
54 



THE BEST NOVELS. 



but they escape my notice if they exist, 
and ignorance here is bliss." 



65 



TKAVEL STUDIES. 

^1 T-HETHEE we are on the eve 
^ ^ of a trip to Europe, or 
whether we have that pleasure 
among the possibilities of the fu- 
ture, or whether we are never to cross 
the ocean, there is profit and enter- 
tainment in travel studies. We all 
want to know something aboiit the cap- 
itals of Europe, about the life of the 
people in the different countries of the 
old world, about the historic places, 
about the great cathedrals and their 
architecture, and about the art treas- 
ures of southern Europe. 

Nine out of ten travelers who visit 
Europe, spend three-fourths of their 
time in Catholic countries. Why? 
Because these countries have the art 
galleries, the finest churches, architec- 
turally, and they best preserve their 
historic continuity. 

As a consequence, these are the coun- 
tries to visit and to study for the pur- 
pose of culture, suggestion, entertain- 
ment and instruction. It is probable, 
56 



TRAVEL STUDIES. 

too, that on the side of life and amuse- 
ment these countries also have their 
superiority. There is more life in Vi- 
enna than in Berlin, more picturesque- 
ness among the people of the Tyrol 
than among the people of Denmark. 

Italy, as far as the question of cul- 
ture goes, is better worth visiting than 
all the rest of Europe combined. Flor- 
ence alone is more valuable for the dis- 
criminating student of art than all 
England. 

These views are emphasized in "The 
European Tour," by Grant Allan. The 
author, an Oxford man and the son 
of an Anglican clergyman, was a great 
traveler in his day; he published sever- 
al well-known travel books. "Except 
Italy," he says, "there is nothing in 
Europe so valuable, so instructive as 
Belgium." He continues: 

"Belgium has escaped the terrible 
cataclysm of the Protestant Reforma- 
tion and the Erench Revolution far 
better than any other part of north- 
western Europe. In England, you 
get only the bare skeletons of cathe- 
drals and churches, robbed of their 
sculpture, their painting and their dec- 
orative work by the grasping grantees 
67 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

of Henry VIII. or the brutal Puritan 
soldiers of Cromwell's army. * * 
But Belgium, though severely treated 
by the early reformers and the Span- 
ish hordes, still retains for us more of 
its mediaeval splendor than any other 
part of modern Europe." 

He concludes that it is far more im- 
portant for the traveler to see the cit- 
ies of Belgium than even London or 
Paris. "Holland falls flat after Bel- 
gium." 

It is singular to find this author dis- 
paraging the only art gallery of Ger- 
many which is at all famous, that of 
Dresden. At best it is a "scratch col- 
lection." Its finest works are those of 
Italian masters. 

Grant Allan's entire book sings the 
praises of Italy as the Mecca for trav- 
elers. Even Switzerland he smites 
with this remark: "Between the Rhine 
and Italy lie the Alps ; and one way or 
another you will have to get over 
them." 

After all, it is not the docks, the 
shipping, the great bales of merchan- 
dise, the smoky railway terminals and 
the crowded manufacturing cities that 
give a country value and interest to 
58 



TRAVEL STUDIES. 

the traveler and the man of culture. 
There is something else. There are at- 
tributes of a truer civilization, and the 
criticism of such a book as the one we 
have instanced will help one to under- 
stand this. 

Yet, for ancestral reasons, many of 
us will find a special interest in Irish 
or German travel; and our literature 
cultivates for us, an interest in Eng- 
land and its historic places, that the 
true cosmopolitan may not feel but 
may understand. So far as natural 
scenery is concerned, our own country, 
with its Niagara, its Mammoth cave, 
its canon of the Colorado, its Yo- 
semite valley and its Yellowstone park, 
should have the first place in our trav- 
el studies. 

We realize that prejudice and point 
of view may color travel studies, just 
as they color history, biography and 
even geography. But the Americans, 
as a nation of travelers, have a rich 
variety of travel books, and among 
them are many that are written with 
breadth of view and fine intuition. 
Who, for instance, can find much to 
except to in "Penelope's Irish Experi- 
ences" ? Among the travel books from 
59 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

Catholic American sources we may 
mention: "Europe and the Holy 
Land," by Father Fairbanks ; "A Jour- 
ney with the Sun," by Dr. McMahon; 
Miss Conway's "New Footsteps in Well 
Trodden Ways," and "As the Bishop 
Saw It" (Borgess). 



60 



THE SUMMEK SCHOOL. 

AMEKICANS, who work with 
a nervous assiduity during 
most of the year, crave a short 
vacation in the summer months. 
Thousands kill time in the friv- 
olities of summer resorts — enjoy- 
ing a change that is hardly a rest, and 
returning to the grind of the desk's 
dead wood with no specially new 
spring of life. The Summer School, 
if rightly used, is a device to make 
our vacations more restful and more 
genuinely tonic. It is the mind 
and the nerves that are tired. It is 
the application of a new idea to these, 
or the inspiration of brighter associa- 
tions, that is most needed. The Sum- 
mer School idea is not to furnish pro- 
found or recondite treatment of phil- 
osophy or literature. It is a happy ad- 
justment of instruction to the dispo- 
sition of the summer tourists and to 
the climate that environs them. Be 
the gain little or much, it is, at any 
rate, a gain. 

61 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

It appears that the Catholic Sum- 
mer School was first suggested in the 
columns of The Freeman's Journal by- 
Maurice Francis Egan, then associate 
editor with James A. McMaster; and 
that the Winter School at New Or- 
leans was first suggested in the col- 
umns of The Reading Circle Review. 
AH this, however, may be admitted 
without detracting from the fame of 
the actual prime-mover, W. E. Mosher, 
or without lessening the claim of 
Father Mullaney as father of the Win- 
ter School, or Father Nugent as its 
active organizer. Father Sheedy of 
Altoona, Pa., its first president, and 
Dr. Loughlin of Philadelphia, were 
also very much concerned in the ini- 
tial steps that led to the first session 
of the Summer School at New Hav- 
en, Conn., in July, 1892. If we arc 
not mistaken, it was a letter of Dr. 
Loughlin that set it a-going. 

The Western Summer School had 
its inception at "The Lilacs," Dr. 
Egan's pleasant Notre Dame home, in 
the spring of 1895. And the three 
conspirators, who met there, decided 
to go ahead if the co-operation of Hon. 
W. J. Onahan could be secured. Mr. 



THE SUMMER SCHOOL. 

Onahan and Father Agnew came at 
once actively into the movement, 
which was further strengthened by the 
adhesion of Bishop Messmer. 

The meaning of the Catholic Sum- 
mer School as an intellectual and 
church influence need only be mention- 
ed to be understood and appreciated. 
The bringing together of two or three 
thousand Catholics from all sections 
of the country, representing the intel- 
ligence of those sections, the contact 
established between such intelligence, 
and the best thought of the Catholic 
religious orders and universities, is 
something far-reaching in its conse- 
quences. Catholic views and Catholic 
inspirations are, through such a sum- 
mer gathering, spread throughout all 
parts of the country, and a Catholic 
impetus is carried back into every 
community by those who have come 
from that locality to the Summer 
School. Not only does the Catholic 
community of the especial town in 
which the school is held, assume a new 
respectability in the eyes of the Prot- 
estant public, but the existence of such 
a school and the reports of its sessions 
constitute an object lesson for the 
63 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

Protestant population of the entire 
country, presenting the Church in a 
new light, as an institution ready and 
anxious to foster higher education, and 
able to gather under its auspices 
strong men in all its departments of 
science and literature. 

It is only just to admit what the 
Catholic Reading Circle movement 
owes to the good example of the Chau- 
tauqua Assembly and its circles. Mr. 
Warren E. Mosher, who in 1891-2 gave 
the Catholic Reading Circle movement 
its real impetus was, we believe, a grad- 
uate of the Chautauqua course, and 
Msgr. Conaty, when president of the 
Champlain Catholic Summer School, 
declared that it owed its origion to 
"the demand on part of Catholics of 
such a school as Chautauqua." 

The Chautauqua idea is only about 
twenty-five years old, but in that time 
over 10,000 Chautauqua circles have 
been formed and a quarter of a mil- 
lion people were enrolled therein. Of 
course these circles are transient; at 
present there are less than one thou- 
sand of them in existence. The move- 
ment is however by no means losing 
ground. Reading Circles and Sum- 
64 



THE SUMMER SCHOOL. 

mer Schools have been sneered at as 
superficial, but this has been done only 
by persons who lack acquaintance with 
the movement. 

"The Chautauqua summer assembly 
in July and August of every year is 
planned in accordance with the prin- 
ciple followed by the Reading Circle. 
For the many there are popular lec- 
tures, concerts, entertainments; for a 
somewhat less number there are philo- 
sophical, scientific and literary lectures 
in progressive courses; for the compar- 
atively few are provided means for 
careful study under the able and well- 
known instructors. The Chautauqua 
assembly should be judged, not by its 
recreative exercises,' but by its educa- 
tional classes." 

Professor Boyeson on his return 
from Chautauqua several years ago 
said: 

"Nowhere else have I had such a 
vivid sense of contact with what is 
really and truly American. The na- 
tional physiognomy was defined to me 
as never before; and I saw that it was 
not only instinct with intelligence, 
earnestness and indefatigable aspira- 
tion, but that it revealed a strong af- 
65 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

finity for all that makes for righteous- 
ness and the elevation of the race. The 
confident optimism regarding the fu- 
ture which this discovery fostered was 
not the least boon I carried away with 
me from Chautauqua." 

Superficiality is one of the easiest 
charges to make in this age of special- 
ists but even a great specialist once 
said: 

"To myself I seem to have been only 
like a boy playing on the seashore, and 
diverting myself in now and then find- 
ing a smoother pebble or a prettier 
shell than ordinary, whilst the great 
ocean of truth lay all undiscovered be- 
fore me." 

There are now sixty summer assem- 
blies in this country after the pattern 
of the Chautauqua; while in England 
and Australia, the Oxford and Cam- 
bridge summer meeting are cheerful 
imitators of this American idea. Of 
course we may say that the university 
extension idea, which is analagous to 
that of the Chautauqua and in fact an 
impulse from it, is as old as the middle 
ages. But there is a germ of every 
new thing in the past. It is more just 
to give the Chautauqua people full 
credit for their idea. 
66 



MATTEES OF PUBLIC SPIRIT. 

THERE are certain activities, in 
the direction of a public spirited 
sense of obligation to the Catholic in- 
tellectual life of the community, that 
our Reading Circles may properly en- 
gage in. Among these the following 
may be mentioned: 

CATHOLIC BOOKS IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES. 

Most American cities of over 20,000 
have public libraries at present. In 
the larger public libraries there is a 
system, whereby on written request of 
any user of the library, new books 
may be purchased. This system is 
practically in vogue, also in all the 
smaller free libraries. The librarian 
is apt to provide for the circulating 
shelves any book for which there is a 
demand. 

Catholics can not ask that devotion- 
al books be placed in the public libra- 
ries; but it ought to be their endeavor 
to get Catholic histories, essays, and 
doctrinal books there. They are thus 
67 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

taking precautions against public ig- 
norance and misapprehension of Cath- 
olic views. 

Let Catholics notice the Catholic 
books described and reviewed from 
time to time in their Catholic news- 
papers and let them send in the titles 
thereof (with the name of the pub- 
lishers) to their local library, with a 
request that such books be placed on 
the shelves. This is a little step in 
behalf of Catholic truth that is within 
the reach of every one. 

CATHOLIC LECTURE COURSES. 

Seasons of the popular lyceum come 
and go from decade to decade in the 
United States. There are years when 
even small towns of five thousand or 
more inhabitants have their winter lec- 
ture course. Usually if the Catholic ele- 
ment in these small towns amount to 
anything in the intellectual life of 
the community, the people who man- 
age the lecture course will take Cath- 
olic patronage into account and there 
will be some feature of the course — 
either a Catholic lecturer, or a Catho- 
lic lecture topic sympathetically treat- 
ed, which will encourage Catholic at- 
68 



MATTERS OF PUBLIC SPIRIT. 

tendance. 

In cities where the Catholic popula- 
tion amounts to ten thousand or more, 
a Catholic lecture course is always pos- 
sible and advisable. There is now a 
Catholic lyceum bureau, (the Colum- 
bian^, with Father Francis C. Kelly of 
Lapeer, Michigan, President), which 
may be asked to arrange such Catholic 
lecture courses. There are available 
Catholic lecturers like Bishop Spald- 
ing, Dr. Stafford, Dr. Adams, Bourke 
Cockran and Charles J. Bonaparte, who 
are the peers of any kings of the ros- 
trum. There are many eloquent 
priests. Catholic professors and Catho- 
lic lawyers, who are competent lec- 
turers; and who confining themselves 
to Catholic topics, and speaking direct- 
ly to Catholic social and intellectual 
needs, may wonderfully stimulate and 
elevate the Catholic life of a city. It 
is often left to the Reading Circle to 
consider the organization of Catholic 
lecture courses and to make the same 
possible. 

PARISH LIBRARIES. 

It is by no means certain that the 
people of our congregations would 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

read Catholic books if they had them 
in so-called "parish libraries." The 
fact is a reflection that each congrega- 
tion must explain for itself. So many 
of our people are Catholics by routine 
and not by intelligence and so many 
of us are in the habit of thinking it is 
all right for the future to depend on a 
Catholicity of that kind. 

But whether there is a demand for 
them or not, we believe that parish li- 
braries ought to be provided. They 
are as necessary as any kind of church 
furniture or architecture — and they 
may come to be appreciated by the 
having — (something that will never be- 
fall some of our church architecture, 
we fear.) If there are no people in a 
congregation who can appreciate a 
Catholic circulating library it is time 
to open a Catholic night school. 

THE PROMOTION OF CATHOLIC TRUTH. 

The average Catholic is not a pro- 
pagandist. He has his own religion 
and he dislikes to obtrude it on his 
Protestant neighbor. • Of course the 
disposition is altogether gentlemanly. 
Other things being equal, the religious 
proselyter has little excuse in the eyes 
70 



MATTERS OF PUBLIC SPIRIT. 

of the world for his existence. But 
other things are not equal. The 
Catholic who wishes to make his re- 
ligion better known has this plea: His 
religion is so much villified, so much 
misunderstood that a prejudice is gen- 
erated against him in his social and 
political relations. He meets with con- 
stant misapprehensions of his belief 
among Protestants whose friendship 
and good will are pleasant to him; and 
these misapprehensions are of a nature 
that imply stupidity, gullibility, du- 
plicity and bad citizenship in the 
Catholic body. If we value a friend- 
ship, it seems incumbent on us to make 
an effort to disabuse our friend of any 
misconceptions he may entertain of us 
— ^whether these misconceptions are in- 
dividual or collective. 

This is a fair excuse for some zeal 
in promoting Catholic truth. Such 
zeal is not discoverable in the mass of 
Catholics, chiefly because their associa- 
tion with Protestants is quite limited. 
But among a growing class of Catho- 
lics there is apt to be an appreciation 
of such zeal. Those whose association 
is large and more diverse can appreci- 
ate the value of an apostolate of the 
71 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

press. 

It has been frequently noted that 
our Catholic Reading Circles and pub- 
lic spirited organizations are even to- 
day mostly directed and engineered by 
public school graduates, public school 
teachers and persons whose association 
is quite largely with Protestants. Cath- 
olic college graduates and thos-3 
brought up in exclusively Catholic as- 
sociations are not so active. The ex- 
planation is not prejudicial to the 
Catholicity of the latter. The former 
have a better appreciation of the value 
of intelligent zeal; and for the reasons 
here outlined. But that zeal should be 
diffused. 

"Aid it paper; aid it type; 

"Aid it for the hour is ripe. 

"And our earnest must not slacken into play, 

"Men of thought and men of action clear the 



72 



MINIMUM CATHOLIC LIBRARY. 

BOOKS are the best furniture of 
the best room. But books are 
the last article of furniture that are 
thought of in some households; yet 
books, magazines and family papers 
have much to do with making home 
cheerful. 

"In these days of diffused educa- 
tion," says a leading periodical, "everj 
home requires a library as much quite 
as it requires a parlor, a reception 
room, a chamber or a kitchen. A place 
to keep books is one of the first essen- 
tials in imparting a tone of thorough 
refinement to a house. Yet to have 
the books themselves is more important 
than to have the special room which 
is their casket. A corner of the draw- 
ing-room, with a table and an easy 
chair, pens and ink, and a few low 
shelves, make a capital library. In 
some charming homes drawing-room 
and the library are combined, and the 
books elbow the brac-a-brac and the 
soft divans and cushioned lounges." 
73 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

We are disposed to read, usually be- 
cause the comforts and conveniences 
of reading are about us. We do not 
have to go far to pick up the book we 
want, we may tarry among pleasant 
surroundings, and the opportunity to 
read coincides with our leisure for such 
occupation. 

The average Catholic household can 
afford to possess twenty good Catholic 
books. Let us name as such "a min- 
imum Catholic library," those books 
which will give us the Catholic view 
point on most important issues that 
we meet with as readers of current lit- 
erature, and which will answer for us 
most questions, doctrinal and histori- 
cal, upon which, as Catholics, we wish 
to be informed: 
The Bihle. Cloth. (John Murphy 

Co., Pub., Baltimore.) $1.00 

Life of Christ. Eev. Walter Elliot. 

(Catholic Book Exchange, Pub., 

N. Y.) 1.00 

The Imitation of Christ. (Benziger 

Bros.) 50e 

Short Lives of the Saints. (Mar- 

lier Co.) 2 vols 1.00 

Correct Thing for Catholics. 

Bugg. (Benziger Bros., N.Y.) . .75c 
74 



MINIMUM CATHOLIC LIBRARY. 

Handhooh of the Chi'isiian Reli- 
gion. Kev. Wilmers, S.J. (Benzi- 
ger Bros., Pub., K Y.) . . . .net 1.50 

Faith of Our Fathers. Cardinal 
Gibbons. (John Murphy Co., 
Pub., Baltimore.) 1.00 

Catholic Belief. Kev. Paa di Bruno, 
D.D. (Benziger Bros., Pub., N. 
Y.) 50c 

The Catholic Dictionary , Addis 
and Arnold, (Christian Press As- 
soc, ISr. Y.) 2.50 

A History of the Catholic Church. 
Dr. H. Brueck. 2 vols. (Benziger 
Bros., N. Y.) net 3.00 

A History of the Catholic Church 
in the United States. By Bishop 
O'Gorman. (New York: Christ. 
Lit. Co.) 2.00 

A Child's History of Ireland. Dr. 
P. W. Joyce. (Longmans, Green 

& Co., N. Y.) 1.25 

(From the earliest times to the 
death of O'Connell. Adapted for 
adults.) 

Lihgard's History of England. 
Burke's Abridgement, School Edi- 
tion. (John Murphy Co 1.50 

Mooted Questions of History. Des- 
mond. (Marlier Co., Boston.) . . 75c 
75 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

Bible, Science and Faith. Dr. J. 

A. Zahm. (John Murphy Co.) 1.25 
Chapters in Bible Study. Rev. H. 
J. Heuser. (Cathedral Library, N. 

Y.) 1.00 

Socialism and Labor and Other Ar- 
guments. Bishop Spalding. (Mc- 

Clurg, Chicago.) 1.00 

Life of Leo XIII. Justin McCar- 
thy. (N. Y. : Frederick Warne., 

Pub.) 1.60 

A Visit to Europe and the Holy 
Land. Father Fairbanks. (Ben- 

ziger Bros., Pub., N. Y.) 1.50 

Christian Art. Edith Healy. 
(Benziger Bros., Pub., N. Y.)..50c 
These twenty books, listed at $25, 
may undoubtedly be had through any 
Catholic publisher (if purchased alto- 
gether), at not over $20. Very fre- 
quently that amount is squandered on 
a costly Bible or on a few bulky vol- 
umes sold on subscription. 



76 



r 



THE HEADING HABIT. 



RISEN from the ranks. Poor boy 
becomes rich man. Little school- 
ing, nevertheless — statesman! Cooper, 
Greeley, Lincoln — ^the procession is 
endless. We have them paraded be- 
fore us to excite our emulation. Ex- 
amplars for our youth. Careers cal- 
culated to stir our ambition, etc. 

But how did they rise? /Primarily, 
the cause lay in th@ fact that they had 
brains. But brains are like success 
and riches, — not to be had by the mere 
wishing. Where did these men get 
their brains, their ideas, their mighty 
conceptions, aims, purposes? 

(These men read. Their fund of in- 
formation was not gathered at the cor- 
ner grocery, but from the great books 
of the world. Their ideas were not 
contracted to the fashion of the cross- 
road neighborhood or the tenement 
block; their vision of the world was 
not shut in by Black-bass creek or the 
limits of St. Michael's parish; their 
knowledge of man was not confined to 
77 

LefC. 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

a ward election or a county fair, biil 
their conversance with books made 
them the masters of the wisdom of oth- 
er times and other places; the famil- 
iars of the great thinkers, teachers, 
philosophers, wits and statesmen, whose 
ideals, successes and wisdom they madv^ 
part of their o^\^l experience. 

In that manner they gathered ideas 
and purposes of their own. They were 
thus inspired with ambitions, and the 
wisdom to work upwards to the ends 
they sought. This will appear from a 
close study of the lives of all truly suc- 
cessful men. Books did a great deal 
for them. A taste for reading was the 
most valuable element of their educa- 
tion, whether their education stopped 
at the common school or projected be- 
yond it. 

The moral is that a people's institu- 
tions, its schools and its church life 
fail in a very important respect if this 
element in the intellectual and moral 
up-raising of the people is deficient. 

Finding Time: An English scien- 
tist learned Spanish by picking up n 
book every time his wife kept him 
waiting to complete her evening toilet. 

. 78 



THE READING HABIT. 

A goodly history volume may be read 
"between times," waiting for dinner, 
or traveling on the street cars, or fif- 
teen minutes before breakfast. We are 
a hurried people, but there is a way 
to find time for reading "in the pauses 
of the rush." 

To Remember What You Read : "In- 
terest is the mother of attention," and 
attention is the mother of memory. 
Many readers follow the practice of 
marking the margins of the pages they 
read (for re-reading), or making notes 
on slips of paper between the leaves, 
or copying salient passages in a com- 
monplace book. Conversation and dis- 
cussion are still better methods of fix- 
ing the results of your reading. 

Plans of Reading: The trouble 
with "mapping out courses of reading" 
is that the task set appalls the reader. 
Scatter a litter of interesting books in 
the way of one who would cultivate the 
reading habit, and let chance suggest 
what will interest. Sir Herbert Max- 
well says: 

"If any young person of leisure were 
so much at a loss as to ask advice as 
79 



A READING CIRCLE MANUAL. 

to what he should read, mine should 
be exceedingly simple. Read anything 
bearing on a definite object. Let him 
take up any imaginable subject to 
which he feels attracted, be it the pro- 
cession of the equinoxes or postage 
stamps, the Athenian drama or London 
street cries; let him follow it from 
book to book, and unconsciously his 
knowledge, not of that subject only, 
but of many subjects, will be increased, 
for the departments of the realm of 
knowledge are divided by no octroi. 
He may abandon the first object of his 
pursuit for another; it does not mat- 
ter, one subject leads to another; he 
will have acquired the habit of acqui- 
sition; he will have gained that con- 
viction of the pricelessness of time 
which makes it intolerable for a man 
to lie abed of a morning." 

Edward Everett Hale says that one 
may become the best informed person 
in his community on any special topic 
by simply reading up on it in the local 
libraries. 

But the object should not be to cram 

for the post of a pedant, but to read 

as a matter of pure enjoyment. All 

other pleasures of life take their de- 

80 



THE READING HABIT. 

parture. Some bowing adieu at thir- 
ty, some at fifty, some at sixty ; but the 
pleasure of the reading habit lasts till 
death. The theater palls upon the 
taste, music loses its charms, one's ap- 
petite goes with one's digestion and 
one's teeth, but while the intellect lasts, 
the pleasure which good books give to 
the intellect continues. 

[Eev. J. L. O'Neil's "Wliy, When, 
How and What to Eead," (Marlier, 
Boston), Brother Azarias on "Books 
and Reading," Fatner O'Connor's 
"Reading and the Mind," (a book too 
good to be permanently out of print), 
and Dr. Egan's "Studies in Litera- 
ture," (Herder), are Catholic reading 
guides that may advantageously be 
consulted in mapping out courses of 
reading.] 



81 






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A new book which should be included in every 
Catholic library and receive the attention of 
every Reading Circle is entitled, 

Orations of Henry Austin Adams 

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The volume is introduced by His Bminence, 
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FOR BOOKS 



FOR- 



Catholic 
Reading Circles 



WRITE TO— 



HoughtoUy Mifflin & 
Company. 

Jf Park Street^ Boston' 



MAR 14 1903 



